This invention relates to an animal training system, and more particularly, to an adjustable quadruped training harness adapted to be fitted on a quadruped for providing increased control over the quadruped by a trainer during training sessions and for instilling confidence in the quadruped. The harness includes a shoulder strap having a first adjustable retaining strap associated therewith for positioning the shoulder strap across the shoulders of the quadruped and a buttock strap having a second adjustable retaining strap associated therewith for positioning the buttock strap across the buttocks of the quadruped, the shoulder strap and the buttock strap being adjustably connected and arranged to extend completely around the quadruped in a close-fitting fashion in order to exert pressure against the shoulders and the buttocks of the quadruped. A fastening ring is centrally located on the shoulder strap to provide a point of attachment of the harness to a lead rope to enable a trainer to exhibit control over the quadruped. To provide further control over the quadruped, the harness includes a number of sites for attaching shocking devices that when activated apply an electrical shock to the quadruped and thereby elicit a desired behavior from the quadruped. While the invention is described for use in relation to a horse, it is necessarily understood that the invention may be utilized with other animals, such as cattle, dogs and the like. The horse is utilized for ease of description and since horses generally provide for the majority of use of a system as described.
Horses are trained for various functions or performances. Among such are: loading into a trailer, reigning, leading, driving and breeding. Various horse harnesses are known in the art for facilitating these activities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,015,405 to Westlund describes a harness including a characteristic and essential adjustable two part top strap, a tail strap connected to the top strap, inverted U shaped rear and front cross straps of affixed to the top strap, an adjustable strap hanger suspended from each end of each of the cross straps, a breast strap adjustably connected to the front strap hanger and a body strap supported by the strap hangers having two side parts of an elastic material, a U shaped hind part and a U shaped front part. From a practical standpoint, the obvious shortcoming of Westlund is its complexity. No less than nine buckles and fourteen straps, including the characteristic and essential two part top strap, are required to accomplish the objects of Westlund. Thus, the Westlund harness is not practical for use in situations where a trainer needs to quickly and easily fit a harness onto a horse in order to bring the horse under control. Furthermore, the Westlund harness includes hooks and rings that protrude outward from the harness that can catch on objects and other horses thereby injuring or entangling the horse. As such, the Westlund harness is not arranged to be left on an unattended horse. Lastly, the Westlund harness fails to include attachment points for connecting remotely activated shocking devices or means of maintaining straps in a close-fitting, strategic position for maximizing the effects of the shocking devices. Accordingly, the Westlund harness does not enable a trainer to influence a horse""s behavior from afar.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,005 to Ackerson describes an electrical animal training device for training a horse to stop, back-up and turn right and left. The device includes a harness having a pair of spaced apart parallel electric leads each provided with a series of spaced contact points and a portable electric current generator for supplying electric current to the contact points. The contact points are arranged to be positioned at an area adjacent the horse""s neck where they make contact with the horse""s skin. The device can also be incorporated into a breast collar that is attached to a saddle by an extension of the breast collar. The breast collar is used to train the horse to back-up or stop by transmitting an electric shock to its chest from contact points in the breast collar. The device is controlled by a rider who can energize the harness by touching a button control. Like Westlund, the Ackerson harness does not allow a trainer to remotely apply an electrical shock to a horse. Furthermore, although Ackerson utilizes electrical shocking devices to influence a horse, Ackerson does not provide any way of influencing a horse to move forward, in particular, a buttock portion supporting an electrical shocking device.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a simple to use and inexpensive harness having a minimal number of parts that is capable of providing a trainer a multitude of options and training methods for quickly and efficiently training a horse.
A primary object of the invention is to provide a humane training harness that instills in a horse on which it is fitted confidence in a trainer.
A further primary object of the invention is to provide a training harness that can be left on an unattended horse for an extended amount of time, for example, between training sessions and that does not substantially hinder the movement of the horse about an area.
A further primary object of the invention is to provide an animal training harness that can be placed on small and large animals alike.
A further primary object of the invention is to provide a training harness that simultaneously exerts pressure across the shoulders and buttocks of a horse when the horse is at rest.
A further primary object of the invention is to provide a training harness that allows a trainer to create pressure on the buttocks of the horse, in addition to pressure exerted by the harness on a horse when the horse is at rest.
A further primary object of the invention is to provide a training harness that allows pressure exerted against the buttocks of the horse when the harness is being led by a trainer using a lead rope attached to the harness to be transferred to the front of the shoulders of the horse when the trainer stops pulling on the lead strap.
Another object of the invention is to provide a training harness that allows a trainer to increase the leverage on a horse when pulling the horse, for example, when attempting to load the horse into a trailer.
Another object of the invention is to provide a horse harness that provides means of preventing a horse form cribbing, pawing, rearing up and fighting.
Another object of the invention is to provide a training harness that allows a trainer to influence a horse to move forward, backward, to the right and to the left.
Another object of the invention is to provide a training harness that allows a trainer to influence the behavior of a horse from a location remote from the horse.
The objects of the invention are accomplished by providing a harness including a flexible yet substantially unstretchable first portion adapted to extend around a horse and fit snuggly against the shoulders and buttocks thereof and a suspension system for maintaining the first portion on the horse at predetermined positions thereabout. The first portion can be divided into a shoulder portion adapted to extend across the shoulders of the horse, a pair of spaced apart, parallel flank portions connected with the shoulder portion and arranged to extend across the respective sides of the horse and a buttock portion connected with the pair of opposing flank portions and arranged to extend across the buttocks of the horse.
At each point of connection between the shoulder portion and the flank portions and the flank portions with the buttock portion, the connections can be fixed or adjustable. Where a connection is fixed, it is preferred that the respective portions be joined using a circular member such as a metal ring having an opening therethrough, although any shape will suffice, such as square or triangular, and an opening is not required. It is further preferred that the circular member be able to withstand any force exerted thereon by the horse without bending or breaking in the event the member is used to tie the horse off to a stationary object. Thus, such members should be able to withstand at least 1000 lbs. where the harness is designated for a horse. Where a connection is adjustable, it is preferred that a double-ring fastener is used, although other types of fasteners are suitable, for example, buckles, adhesives, hook and pile, locking pins and the like. The only requisite for such an adjustable fastener is that it be able to withstand forces applied thereto by the type of animal for which it is designed.
The suspension system can be any suspension system capable of maintaining the shoulder portion and the buttock portion at a desired location on a horse. Preferably, the suspension system includes a pair of spaced apart adjustable retaining portions that are slidably or fixedly connected with the first portion and arranged such that when the harness is fitted onto the horse, the retaining portions extend substantially perpendicularly across the back of the horse and attach at the ends thereof to the first portion. The desired location for positioning the shoulder portion can change depending on the training method employed by the trainer and the type of animal involved, however, for purposes of describing the invention for use with a horse, the desired location for the shoulder portion is across the shoulders of the horse and preferably across the points of the shoulders of the horse. To maintain the shoulder portion across the shoulders of the horse, it is preferred that one retaining portion be connected with the shoulder portion and be adjustable to raise or lower the shoulder portion in relation to the horse. This way, the harness can be adjusted to fit any size horse. Similarly, the desired location for maintaining the buttock portion depends on the training method employed and the type of animal involved. For a horse, it is preferred that the buttock portion be maintained across the buttocks of the horse and preferably about the stifles. To maintain the buttock portion across the buttocks of the horse, it is preferred that one retaining portion be connected with the buttock portion and be adjustable to raise or lower the buttock portion in relation to the horse. It is anticipated that the buttock portion can be maintained at the desired location with a retaining portion connected with the flank portions.
Each retaining portion can be divided into at least two parts that are connectable using any of the adjustable or fixed connection means described above. Furthermore, the retaining portions can also be extended to extend completely around the barrel of the horse to provide greater stability of the harness on the horse.
The various portions, i.e., the first portion, the shoulder portion, the flank portions, the buttock portion and the retaining portions, can be constructed of any sufficiently pliable yet durable material capable accomplishing the objects of the invention. As such, the portions can be constructed of fabrics made from woven cotton, nylon, polypropylene or any other natural or synthetic material or from leather, plastic or metal straps.
In use, the harness is fitted onto a horse with the first portion adjusted such that the shoulder portion and the buttock portion fit somewhat snuggly against the shoulders and buttocks, respectively, of the horse. Thereafter, the retaining portions are adjusted to position and maintain the shoulder portion across the shoulders, and more particularly, across the points of the shoulders of the horse and the buttock portion across the buttocks of the horse, preferably, about the stifles. Once the harness is fitted onto the horse, a trainer can perform any of a number of exercises with the horse.
To lead a horse, a lead rope is attached to a loop or the like centrally located about the length of the shoulder portion and threaded through a bridle on the horse. When the lead rope is pulled, the horse""s head is gently pulled downward thereby preventing the horse from rearing up. This provides the trainer with additional leverage and control over the horse while allowing the horse to move its head right to left. Further, by pulling on the loop of the shoulder portion, pressure is exerted by the buttock portion across the buttocks of the horse in addition to the amount of pressure exerted by the buttock portion when the horse is at rest. This additional pressure across the buttocks convinces or tricks the horses into believing that there is something or someone pushing the horse from behind. This causes the horse to move forward with confidence. When the trainer stops pulling on the lead rope, the additional pressure exerted against the buttocks of the horse is removed and transferred forward to the shoulder portion. The transferal of pressure from the buttocks to the shoulders of the horse communicates to the horse that it should stop. Thus, the harness of the invention provides novel and humane means of reassuring a horse to move forward or stop.
The harness of the present invention can also be used to immobilize a horse when desired, for example, while grooming or shoeing the horse. To do so, the horse is stationed between stationary objects such as four posts arranged in a square or rectangular configuration. A line is extended from each of the posts and attached to the harness at one of the connection points, such as, a metal ring or double ring fastener. Preferably, a line is attached to a connection point of the harness about the area of each leg of the horse. It is further preferred that each line be kept taunt and be connected to the respective post at a height substantially lower than the first portion of the harness such that downward pressure is exerted on the horse. This way, the horse is prevented from lifting a leg, and the horse can be shoed without fear of being kicked. In addition, lines can be extended from either side of a bridle and connected to one of the retaining portion in order to prevent the horse from rearing up.
To provide even more control or influence over a horse, the first portion, including the shoulder portion, the flank portions and the buttock portion and the retaining portions can be adapted to support stimulating means strategically located along the harness to elicit a particular response. The stimulating means can be removably fixed to the harness by any means known in the art such as by sewing or using an adhesive or snaps. The stimulating means can be any stimulating means known in the art, for example, tacks, ruff edged metal or wooden blocks and the like. Preferably, the stimulating means are remotely and independently activated electrical shocking devices similar to those described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,459,378 B2 to Gerig, U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,843 B1 to Kim and U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,178 to McDade et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. The shocking devices can be activated any number of ways, for example, by a button switch, a remote switch or an inertia switch as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,199,921 to Watkins.
Preferably, the shocking devices are arranged in the harness to apply an electrical shock about the shoulders and buttocks of the horse. It is further preferred that the shocking means of the present invention be independently and remotely activated so that a trainer can stimulate the horse from a remote location to provide a certain behavioral response. For example, when a horse is moving forward against the wishes of the trainer, a shocking device in the shoulder portion can be electrified to communicate to the horse to stop. Likewise, if a trainer wants a horse to move forward, the shocking means in the buttock portion can be activated. When a horse is pawing at the earth with its right or left hoof, a trainer can activate a shocking device in contact with the shoulder of the horse that is associated with the hoof that is being used to paw to stop the horse from pawing. When riding a horse, if it runs too closely to a tree or fence or the like, the shocking devices adjacent to the tree or the fence can be electrified to cause the horse to move away from the tree or the fence. Thus, the harness of the present invention allows a trainer many training methods when training a horse.